Welcome To Our Garage Sale!

Corbin came up with the idea today that he and Elias were going to have a garage sale in Elias' room. He set up the table that doubled as a cooler filled with water bottles. They both sat there waiting for me to bring them items that I wanted to buy.

They had all the clothes (that they pulled out of Elias' neatly folded drawers!!!) set up next to the table/cooler and decided to move them to a few different piles.

Elias joined in and they had all kinds of "stuff" ready to sell!

"Want to come to our garage sale?"

We are currently experiencing some....

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES!


Within the last month, both of our laptop computers have (almost) bit the dust! One due to old age. And our "new" one took a drink of some coffee!

only takes a minute

for this yummy cupcake with chocolate frosting and many colorful sprinkles

to look like

THIS!

Temporarily Out of Retirement

Finally, I have started taking pictures again. The boys have been in the stage where they don't want me to take pictures of them. On Monday, we matched the boys and I snapped as many pictures as I could before they told me to stop (by throwing things at the camera).

The boys got to have a bag of popcorn all of their own! They were so excited!

Corbin wanted to read stories to Elias.

But of course Elias doesn't want to be read to. He enjoys turning the pages, in no order, all by himself.

Pumpkin Painting

The boys love to paint. So instead of carving pumpkins, we painted them. They each had all kinds colors to paint with and made sure to mix them all together.

Elias still puts everything in his mouth! I mean EVERYTHING! And the paint made it's way there after every dip, right before going on the pumpkin, EVERY TIME!!!

Lots of paint on those pumpkins!

Immediately after they were done they were put in the tub and the clothes down the laundry shoot!!!

Junior Fire Fighter

We....

....making bread!

Monday we made bread. The boys got to play with some of the dough. Corbin treated as playdough and played and shaped and cut and made all kinds of things. Elias just wanted to play with the flour and take bites of the dough and spit it onto the floor!

Corbin gets so creative!

During the Farmer's Market here in town, a family brought in a bunch of bread "bears" and was making a fortune on them. I had never made them before and decided to give it a try! The boys had them for snack and they really liked them! It made snack time way more fun for Corbin!

The bread turned out a little dry this time...but I have an idea for next time. The boys and I (emily) really like to eat bread! Every breakfast they try to eat my toast and not touch the pieces I make for them.

Blessed

Applesauce from the apples in our backyard.

Apples for apple pie or crisp.
(Took me 3 hours to do only 2 bags.)

Rhubarb

Shredding Zucchini
Squash & Zucchini for stir fry

Raspberries

Relish

Green and Yellow Beans

Carrots and Green Beans

Pickles
(I also did sweet pickles for the fridge.)

Corn, lots and lots of corn!

Yes, my boys eat their broccoli...even without cheese!

My friend ("Stesisy" as Corbin calls her) has blessed us so much with all kinds of produce!

Tomatoes galore!

I have had so much fun learning how to can, blanch & freeze and different ways to eat all kinds of different foods! I will miss the canning & freezing parties!

Now, during winter, we will do our "cooking day" when we make up freezer meals in bulk. It is so fun to have someone who enjoys cooking and baking, and inspires me to do it, too!

I look forward to next year...

Pickin' and Eatin'

This was the first year our apple tree really produced! It has been funny watching Elias pick and attempt to eat an apple every time we are in the backyard. They are very tart, but it doesn't seem to stop the boys from taking a few bites.

During Eli's nap, Corbin and I went out and picked some apples. I have been cutting some up to use for crisps or pies. It is a lot of work to cut all those small apples. I was ready to just leave the apples on the tree until a friend told me how she makes her applesauce using a colander. So much easier! I can easily make a batch in a half hour (a little longer with the boys "helping" me). I have made 3 batches so far and still have apples to use up.

Too bad the boys really aren't big fans of applesauce. I think they still have it in their minds that it is baby food.

I have found it is the perfect dessert! Just warm it in the microwave and it is so yummy!

I have also been using up the other produce I have been given. I have broccoli to freeze, tomatoes to make into pizza sauce and salsa, lots of green peppers to freeze and carrots and cucumbers to eat fresh! I really do understand why this time of year is so busy for everyone. It has kept me hopping!

(I am very excited to post pictures of all the canning and freezing I have done....just haven't had the time.)

Corbin the Builder

Corbin the Builder

Corbin was playing this morning during Eli's nap. He put the pillows together like this and guess what it is. It is "my BIG house"! Corbin was very excited to build such a big house. He took off the roof and asked me "Can we build it?" (And if you know how it works with Bob the Builder, everyone shouts,) "Yes we can!"